The St. Johns herald., 1887-06-16

S0sIE 4,300 claims aga-ns. tke government is damages sustained by Indian d. rpredati"ns are on file at Washington. The majority of t!iese claims are admitted ;u be l;!St and correct, ant; they aggregate the enormous sum of $13, 3,G00000. If tllc vast sums expended bF the government iii defending the from tier against tie predatory excur- sionS nf these savageS, are added to this amount and roster of the butchered and plundered men, women and children. given as q coli p1nion p'ece to tie exp2nse'bill. We believe that even those most fa- uiliar with the details would be startled at the fearful array. Upon tie least real or imaginary Erovoca- ton til9y take the first opportunity to break out, and start upon tie war-path-iirc. rapinc and murder are the familiar landmarks of their trall-men and women so brutally muti!atcd, as to shock and forbi'' description are left as the horrid, bloody evidences of their flight :; lifcle>s infants with bespattercd brains, and living children suspend- ed by laceraied flesh upon nai!s and iron hooks, are the fendisI
 pastimes of the Hurried ride These are scenes al d narratives which th, years have made as familiar upuir the hortle- a8 houaehold tales, anG occur with startling and 0lt-rcpeat ed frequency. After q band of hos tiles Lave riotcd in blood and plum der until their ammunition Is eX- haustcd, and food and horses car no longer be procure.l, they invar;a- bly, seek the United States troop, wllo are pursuing, and after barley compromise their crimes by becom
 ing pensioners upon the bounty O. the government they have 0ut- ragged, and retiring for entertain- ment to some of the forts or mili- tary stations. Those in authorit, seem to look with in1ulgent charity upon these spirited recreations of the savages, and tLc facts are cx- h..usttd and the invention taxed tU conceal the outrages, and as far a. possible, excuse or eXtCnuate then in official reports and articles writ
 ten for the press. If, perchance some official from the national cap ital seeks personal information, b. visiting tlle reservations, courteous hoSp.tabie knowing ones show hin. all the beauties of the existing svs- tem, gloriiy the cyaugelizing sue cess of the humane methods adop
 ed by the government, and finally exhibit a brigade If spiriiless, red skinned camp Scavengers, eiaio- rately drilled i'll Sunday Schoo masquerade. as proof conclusive c the ducility and meek, christian virtues of the wronged and doWn- troddcn red man. For every wroul there k an excuse, and fur every
 iiaholical deed tl.erc is an apoi, gist.
 Our Investigating tourist returns whence iie came, loaded for btal and with an exhaustive and re- t'rcSling budee: of news. which i> quite as descriptive of the politic;l. condition of Patagonia, as the reai facts in the case (vide report oi Lieut.. Lamar) Thus it will con tinue to be so long as the Indlar. Department provides so many ia; offices and SD many opportunities for plnndcr, both in Washington and at the agencies and rcserva- tions. The lceches which are fas- tened upon th!S department of the government, are s0 numerous, wei: fed, and influential that they vii. ke'p ID the present system by every device known to fraud, p0lil- ical trickery and miSrepreSenta- tion. It seems to be an cpon sc- crct that the government furnishes supplies for a vastly larger number of Indians than really KS and that p'culation and P cllation are rampant in every branch uf the de-